Centrica has announced it has taken a minority stake in a clean hydrogen production technology firm HiiROC.

The Hull-based company’s technology converts biomethane or natural gas into clean hydrogen and carbon black.

It follows an electrolysis process using thermal plasma and resulting in what is called “turquoise hydrogen”.

The carbon black can be utilised in a range of sectors, including tyres, building materials and agriculture.

HiiROC attracted new investors such as Hyundai, Kia, Melrose Industries, HydrogenOne through a £26 million funding raise.

Greg McKenna, Managing Director of Centrica Business Solutions, said: “We see a huge role for hydrogen across Centrica, from domestic boilers in people’s kitchens to Combined Heat and Power units powering data centres and hospitals.

“There remains a great deal of work to be done to make hydrogen affordable, sustainable and available at scale, but HiiROC’s technology demonstrates that this can be achieved sooner rather than later.”

Tim Davies, HiiROC’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Our technology will produce low-cost, zero emission hydrogen, delivered to customers on a modular, scalable basis at the point of demand.”

In mid-August, the government unveiled its Hydrogen Strategy.